Bitmap Books proudly presents I’m Too Young To Die: The Ultimate Guide to First-Person Shooters 1992–2002. Covering the early, experimental years of the first-person shooter, we celebrate more than 180 games as we track the genre’s explosive entrance onto the ’90s gaming scene. Whether obscure oddities or genre-defining behemoths, first-person shooters transported players to alien worlds, alternate universes and the shores of Hell itself, and in doing so helped to trigger the 3D-graphics arms race.

Containing in-depth research and hundreds of screenshots, I’m Too Young To Die covers it all: the classics that defined the genre, including DOOM and Quake, Half-Life, Deus Ex, GoldenEye 007 and Halo; multiplayer-only games such as Starsiege: Tribes, Unreal Tournament and Quake III, along with mods like Counter-Strike and Team Fortress; experimental games that pushed the genre in new directions, including Gun Buster, Codename Eagle, Assassin 2015 and Trespasser; forgotten games like ZPC and ReVOLUTION; and hidden gems like Dust, Wrath of Earth and Azrael’s Tear.

I’m Too Young To Die begins in 1969 with the precursors to first-person shooters, charting the genre’s inception and evolution through maze and roleplaying games, early 3D experiments and light gun shooters, all leading to 1992’s Wolfenstein 3D and Ultima Underworld. We also cover the anatomy of the first-person shooter, asking what gives them their power to enthrall, their influence over 3D graphics and online gaming, plus a look at first-person shooters that were never released.

Along with a foreword by first-person shooter legend, John Romero, I’m Too Young To Die includes in-depth interviews with industry legends such as Ian and Chris Andrew (the Freescape games), Scott Miller (Apogee and 3D Realms), David Doak (GoldenEye 007 and TimeSplitters), Randy Pitchford (Gearbox Software), Karl Deckard (Metroid Prime and Valve’s Prospero), plus many more …

Priced at £54.99, the Collector’s Edition includes the book, plus a series of ‘feelies’, such as an original, all-action, first-person shooter-themed comic illustrated by artist Simon Hayes, a bookmark, a set of art cards and a postcard, all housed in a presentation box designed to evoke the classic ‘big box’ PC games of the era. Each presentation box is printed on metallic silver paper giving a unique effect, then shrink-wrapped and finished with a holographic sticker confirming the rarity of the edition. Only 2,000 units of this Collector’s Edition will be produced, and once they’re sold, it will never be printed again.

Come get some!

Includes interviews with:
David Doak, David Smith, Davor Hunski, Ian and Chris Andrew, James Hampton, John Howard, John Romero, Karl Deckard, Ken Levine, Ken Silverman, Randy Pitchford, Scott Miller and Warren Spector.